Malaria epidemics in Colombia, 1970-2019

Padilla, Julio; Olivera, Mario Javier; Herrera, María Cristina Padilla; Abril, Edwin Pachón

doi:10.1590/0037-8682-0559-2021

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In turn, the persistence of the frequency and intensity of malaria epidemic cycles in the national territory has been determined by the maintenance and recurrence of complex interactions and economic, social, political, general, and cultural contradictions that occur in regional endemic scenarios 14,15 . The triggers that contribute to the perpetuation of malaria epidemic cycles are the illegal, intensive, and irrational exploitation of natural and mineral resources in endemic receptive regions, such as gold mining in the jungle regions 16 . Similar situations are observed in endemic countries in the Americas with the greatest disease burden, such as Brazil, Venezuela, and Peru.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the endemic-epidemic pattern of malaria in Colombia, 1978-2021

Rodríguez,

Olivera,

Cantillo

et al. 2024

Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop.

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Background: Malaria is a major global public health issue with varying epidemiologies across countries. In Colombia, it is a priority endemic-epidemic event included in the national public health policy. However, evidence demonstrating nationwide variations in the disease behavior is limited. This study aimed to analyze changes in the levels and distribution of endemic-epidemic malaria transmission in the eco-epidemiological regions of Colombia from 1978 to 1999 and 2000 to 2021. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive time-series study using official secondary data on malaria-associated morbidity and mortality in Colombia from 1978 to 2021. Temporal-spatial and population variables were analyzed, and the absolute and relative frequency measures of general and regional morbidity and mortality were estimated. Results: We observed an 18% reduction in malaria endemic cases between the two study periods. The frequency and severity of the epidemic transmission of malaria varied less and were comparable across both periods. A shift was observed in the frequency of parasitic infections, with a tendency to match and increase infections by Plasmodium falciparum . The risk of malaria transmission varied significantly among the eco-epidemiological regions during both study periods. This study demonstrated a sustained decrease of 78% in malarial mortality. Conclusions: Although the endemic components of malaria decreased slightly between the two study periods, the epidemic pattern persisted. There were significant variations in the risk of transmission across the different eco-epidemiological regions. These findings underscore the importance of targeted public health interventions in reducing malarial morbidity and mortality rates in Colombia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the endemic-epidemic pattern of malaria in Colombia, 1978-2021

Rodríguez,

Olivera,

Cantillo

et al. 2024

Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop.

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“…Consequently, the burden of AUFI has not been thoroughly described in Colombia [ 20 ]. For decades, the country has presented a high proportion of reported dengue cases [ 22 , 27 , 28 ] and Malaria [ 29 ]. However, some suspected dengue cases have been misclassified and caused by other tropical etiologies such as leptospirosis, rickettsioses, chikungunya virus infection, and Zika virus infection [ 23 , 30 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatal acute undifferentiated febrile illness among clinically suspected leptospirosis cases in Colombia, 2016–2019

Parra Barrera,

Reales-González,

Salas

et al. 2023

PLoS Negl Trop Dis

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Background Acute undifferentiated febrile illness is a common challenge for clinicians, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. Incorrect or delayed diagnosis of febrile patients may result in medical complications or preventable deaths. Common causes of acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Colombia include leptospirosis, rickettsioses, dengue fever, malaria, chikungunya, and Zika virus infection. In this study, we described the acute undifferentiated febrile illness in postmortem patients reported as suspected cases of leptospirosis through the national leptospirosis surveillance in Colombia, 2016–2019. Methodology/principal findings We retrospectively analyze human fresh and formalin-fixed tissue samples from fatal suspected leptospirosis cases reported by the Public Health Laboratories in Colombia. Leptospirosis confirmation was made by immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the tissue samples. In some cases, the serum sample was used for confirmation by Microagglutination test (MAT). Simultaneously, tissue samples were tested by PCR for the most common viral (dengue, Zika, and chikungunya), bacterial (Brucella spp., and Rickettsia spp.), and parasitic (malaria). Fresh tissue samples from 92 fatal suspected leptospirosis cases were reported to the National Reference Laboratory from 22/32 departments in Colombia. We confirmed leptospirosis in 27% (25/92) of cases. Other pathogens identified by real-time PCR were Brucella spp. (10.9%), Rickettsia spp. (14.1%), and dengue (2.2%). Dengue (6.9%), hepatitis (3.5%), and Yellow Fever cases (2.2%) were detected by the pathology. All patients were negative for chikungunya and Plasmodium spp. Most cases were classified as undifferentiated febrile illnesses (45.7%; 42/92). Conclusions/Significance This study underscores the importance of early and accurate recognition of leptospirosis to prevent mortalities. Moreover, it draws attention to the existence of other febrile syndromes in Colombia, including rickettsiosis and brucellosis, that currently lack sufficient human surveillance and regular reporting. Expanding laboratory surveillance to include viruses such as Hantavirus, Mayaro virus, Oropouche virus, and West Nile virus is crucial.

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“…Moreover, finer scales than at the municipal level need to be considered since malaria transmission is context-dependent, and the landscape can vary significantly within a single municipality 32 . Lastly, it should be noted that the majority of research in Colombia have primarily focused on the Pacific region due to higher outbreaks numbers 33 , 34 , however, given its high likelihood for malaria transmission, it is imperative to conduct malaria research in the Amazon biome 2 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Time lag effect on malaria transmission dynamics in an Amazonian Colombian municipality and importance for early warning systems

Gonzalez-Daza,

Vivero-Gómez,

Altamiranda-Saavedra

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Malaria remains a significant public health problem worldwide, particularly in low-income regions with limited access to healthcare. Despite the use of antimalarial drugs, transmission remains an issue in Colombia, especially among indigenous populations in remote areas. In this study, we used an SIR Ross MacDonald model that considered land use change, temperature, and precipitation to analyze eco epidemiological parameters and the impact of time lags on malaria transmission in La Pedrera—Amazonas municipality. We found changes in land use between 2007 and 2020, with increases in forested areas, urban infrastructure and water edges resulting in a constant increase in mosquito carrying capacity. Temperature and precipitation variables exhibited a fluctuating pattern that corresponded to rainy and dry seasons, respectively and a marked influence of the El Niño climatic phenomenon. Our findings suggest that elevated precipitation and temperature increase malaria infection risk in the following 2 months. The risk is influenced by the secondary vegetation and urban infrastructure near primary forest formation or water body edges. These results may help public health officials and policymakers develop effective malaria control strategies by monitoring precipitation, temperature, and land use variables to flag high-risk areas and critical periods, considering the time lag effect.

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Malaria epidemics in Colombia, 1970-2019

Cited by 7 publications

References 8 publications

Changes in the endemic-epidemic pattern of malaria in Colombia, 1978-2021

Changes in the endemic-epidemic pattern of malaria in Colombia, 1978-2021

Fatal acute undifferentiated febrile illness among clinically suspected leptospirosis cases in Colombia, 2016–2019

Time lag effect on malaria transmission dynamics in an Amazonian Colombian municipality and importance for early warning systems

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